Explosive



tentional influences, such as friction or shock Patented Dec. 23, 1930 a UNITED STATES SVPATENT'S orrlcs CHARLES H. WATERS, 0F OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR 'ro mmon NATIONAL CHEMICAL COMPA Y, or LACEY, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION or wAsnINGro EXPLOSIVE No Drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in explosives, having more particular reference to improvements in the explosive disclosed and claimed in United States Letters Patent, 5 No, 1,07 3,279, issued September 16, 1913, to James F. OBrien, of Chicago, Ill.,- assignor to Dumor National Chemical Company, Seattle, Washington and aims primarily to provide a more stable and dependable chlorate explosive capable of more perfect detonation than the chlorate explosives heretofore in commercial use.

Contemplated by the present invention is the provision of astump and rock blasting chlorate explosive; which is non-hygroscopic; which will not deteriorate or chemically change with age; which is properly sensitive to assure its detonation by suitable predetermined means; whichis of such stability as to resist detonation from casual or uninin handling, or other influences to which an explosive is exposed in ordinar commercial use; which is 'not adversely a ected by increase or reduction in temperature, either as to power or as to safety; which may be manufactured in different grades or strengths without undesirably affecting its sensitiveness or stability in either direction; which may be manufactured atlow cost, due both to the simplicity of the operations involved in its preparation and particularly tothe low cost of the ingredients entering into its composition; all of which are important features of the invention and are to be correlated in the broad aim of enhancing the efficiency of the present composition for general use.

The above and additional features, purposes and advantages, which will hereinafter be more specificall treated are attained by such means as are escribed in the following specification and then more clearly pointed out in the claims, which are appended hereto and form part of this application.

To accomplish the purposes and secure the advantages hereinbefore set forth, I utilize as the ingredients of the present composition,

materials which by virtue'of their characteristics, are not adversely affected by increases 5 or reductions in temperature, and combine Application filed March 26, 1927. Serial No. 178,812.

these materials with modifying ingredients which contribute to the composition the desired sensitiveness to detonation of a predetermined sort and the desired stability and insensitiveness to other influences' The materials which actual experience and extensive tests have demonstrated as most economical, efficient and pratical for employment in the present composition and which have been found to give the best results are as follows an oxidizing salt, such as sodium chlorate; a hydro-carbon, such as a nitrated derivative of toluene; a restrainer, such as sodium nitrate; an'antiacid, such as calcium carbonate; and finely divided woody matter, such as sawdust. The nitrated derivatives of toluene aforementioned which have been found suitablefor employment in the present composition, are mononitrotoluol (orthonitrotoluol). and dinitrotoluol. In some instances mononitrotoluol, er se, is used and in other instances a combination or intermixture of mononitrotoluol and dinitrotoluol, for illustration, when a rock blasting powder is required mononitrotoluol is used alone, while, when a stump blasting powder is desired mononitrotoluol is com- Per cent Sodium chlorate a Mononitrotoluol '(crude) 14 Saw dust 6 Total and the formula for stump blasting powder I which has been productive of the best results is as follows l 7 Per cent Sodium chlorate 29.84 Sodium nitrate; 45.86 Calcium carbonate 3.31 Mononitrotoluol (crude) 2.62 Dinitrotoluol (crude) 10.91 Saw dust 7.46

Total 100 To prepare the composition, of either formula, as above set forth, the chemicals and J saw dust are heated suficiently to drive of moisture and are then ground or pulverized. The drums of crude mononitrotoluol and dinitrotoluol, as received from the manufacturers, are not standardized products, the color and quality of each drum varying slightly, and in order to render such oils suitable for use in the present compositions, it has been found necessary to blend the contents of several drums of mononitrotoluol or several drums of dinitrotoluol in order to secure and obtain more uniform grades of the same. Further, the crude mononitrotoluol and dinitrotoluol when received are in a more or less solid state and the drums of same ordinarily contain small percentages of water, which latter is eliminated or driven ofi during the blending recesses of said oils, which is accomplished y placing the contents of several drums of mononitrotoluol ordinitrotoluol in a suitable rece tacle and subjecting the latter to suflicient eat (approximately 120 F.) to drive off the moisture and liquefy the oils. However, in this connection it may be well to note that, in order to preserve the volatile matter in the respective oils, the heat to which they are subjected during the liquefying and blending processes thereof must not be excessive. The dried and pulverized chemicals and saw dust are next placed in a suitable mixing machine and thoroughly or intimatelymixed therein; and concurrently therewith the heated oil or intermixture of heated oils isslowly added thereto, as b spraying the same into the chemicals an saw dust during the intermixing of the latter, so that the particles of chemicals and saw dust are thoroughly impregnated, bound together and waterproofed by such oil. The resultant product or explosive obtained from the foregoing isily a smooth plastic mass, which can be rea pressed into any required form and packed into cartrid es for use as sticks. The explosive is en stant-ially non-deliquescent and requires the action of a strong cap for its explosion, if ignited in the open it will simply burn without explosive action; and concussion, jar or shock without heat will not cause it to explode. The detonation of I this explosive'is positive and certain when acted npon by a strong cap, whether such ex loslve is confined or unconfined.

eretofore, in explosives employing chlorates, as oxidizing salts, dinitrotoluol, per se,

has ordinarily been used as the sensitizer, but, actual experience over an extended period has shown dinitrotoluol, per se, is not dependable, there being many instances where such explosives deteriorated so rapidly, due to various conditions, that they were virtually useless after being in storage for only very brief periods. It is therefore a primary feature of this invention to employ mononitrotuluol in $54 combination with dinitrotoluol in order to secure a more stable and dependable explo tion, and their strength and power is substantially equivalent to high blasting explosives, but, having over the latter the valuable advantage of a lower cost price, smaller sensitiveness to mechanical action, and more particularly considerably greater resistance to cold, while having an increased sensitiveness to primers, and do not leave'or give ofl noxious gases or fumes when exploded, being therefore especially adaptable and suitable for use in constrictedor enclosed spaces.

, Wherefore, it will be manifest and obvious to those skilled in the art upon an understanding of the foregoing, that the present application is predicated upon the disclosure of a composition of matter'formed of certain specified ingredients, which, due to their respective characteristics, interact when combined to produce an essentially new composition possessing certain novel characteristics in both itsstatic form and its explosion. However, it is to be understood, that the invention resides in the novel composition of mat ter having these distinctive attributes, and

that ittherefore is not limited to the particular ingredientsherein named, or their specific ing the percentage of same.

Having thus fully described my invention,

whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An explosive containing a chlorate, liquid mononitrotoluol about three parts, and liquid dinitrotoluol about eleven parts.

2. An explosive containing a chlorate, liquid mononitrotoluol about three parts, liquid dinitrotoluol about eleven parts, and finely divided Woody matter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

0 RLES H. WATERS. 

